New Chances
by Catullus16
Summary: It's Margaret's turn now, her sisters are married and she is about to be introduced to society. What will happpen when her view of the world clashes with her mother's expectations and her own heart?


**Hey all, this just a little something that I wrote after I finished reading Sense and Sensibility I hope that you feel it stayed true to Jane Austen's style of writing anyway...hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing at all, Jane Austen master of the written word does**

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Mrs. Dashwood entered the parlor and stood looking out the window of Barton Cottage. Her two eldest daughters had been married to respectable gentlemen and she was left in the house with only Margaret to ease her loneliness. She was happy for Edward, but truly thankful for Colonel Brandon. Both men had rescued her daughters from an unhappy single life, such as the one she found herself living. It was time to forget that though, Margaret was of the marrying age, she would be busy soon enough.

As she stood watching the clouds race by, she saw Mrs. Jennings walk down from Barton Park. She sighed and turned to sit down, picking up some long discarded needlework. Mrs. Jennings was announced and promptly ran up to Mrs. Dashwood and exclaimed; "Oh, I am so excited, I'm sure you have already done with the planning. Oh what a thing this will be. You must use Barton Park, I will not hear otherwise." With that she sat down and continued. "You must order a dress for poor Miss Margaret, I'm sure she has nothing half so worthy as to wear on that evening."

"Mrs. Jennings, I assure you that we are doing all that we can to prepare for this. I would be much obliged to you for the use of Barton Park, for you have a lovely room for dancing. Margaret will be most pleased with it."

"Speaking of that girl, where has she run off to. Not to some beau of hers, I hope; she has but a few weeks to wait for that sort of thing."

Mrs. Jennings soon left for she had only come to make certain that the party was to be at Barton Park. Mrs. Dashwood was once again left to her thoughts and the knowledge that things were going to be busy soon. Not that she minded, for it was much quieter without Marianne around.

"Margaret! I need you down here dear." Mrs. Dashwood hollered upstairs. The young lady who descended the steps was not the forgotten girl of a few years ago. She had now grown into womanhood and had a pleasant face and sweet countenance to recommend her. Yes, she will do well, thought Mrs. Dashwood.

"Margaret, we must plan your coming out party. Mrs. Jennings was most willing to do it all herself, but I thought it best if you should have some say. It _is_ all for you dear."

"Yes, mother. I am just going to request a gown for the party." Inwardly she was cringing and wishing for her younger days when decorum had fewer rules. In her view she had no need for a husband; some man to rule over her and shove her farther from childhood. She wouldn't mind the dances, they were enjoyable, but having all the men gawk at you as if you were meat was not to be looked forward to. Your once friendly single neighbor now became a potential suitor.

Margaret sighed again and began the long and tedious planning for the event which would irrevocably snatch away childhood freedom.

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The night of the dance had finally arrived and Margaret was taking one last look at herself. She tugged at the dress her mother picked out and squirmed under the prodding hands which signified it was time to leave. "You look remarkable, Margaret. Everyone will wonder what happened to the girl they knew when your sisters first came out." Margaret managed a smile and walked with her mother to Barton Park. They had arrived early so that Margaret could be presented to the party once everyone was there. Mrs. Dashwood fixed Margaret's hair one last time and they entered Barton Park. Mrs. Jennings was just finishing in the powder room so they sat in the parlor to wait for the party. Mrs. Jennings came down and exclaimed "Oh Margaret I'm so happy for you. You must be so nervous, let us play a round of whist to keep your mind steady. Wouldn't want you to be flustered for the first dance." She laughed at this comment and sat down at the card table gesturing to Margaret and Mrs. Dashwood to join her. After a while of listening to Mrs. Jennings comments about the coming evening a servant came and announced that guests were starting to arrive.

"The servant will come and fetch you when it is time to be announced, my dear. We shall look forward to it." Thus Mrs. Jennings and Mrs. Dashwood left Margaret sitting in the parlor. Margaret stayed seated at the card table and sighed, she wanted to be a good daughter but marriage was just not what she wanted to do. She knew that her mother would at least wait until she fell in love, but she wasn't planning on it any time soon. A knock sounded at the door, interrupting her reverie. It was time. She stood up straightened her gown and lifted her chin. She stood at the balcony of the ballroom and waited till her name was called. A servant dressed in fancy clothes bellowed "Miss Margaret Dashwood" She descended the stairs meeting with her mother at the bottom.

The evening passed much like many of the evenings before, filled with dancing and talking; though now her mother was introducing her to every eligible man at the ball. Margaret tried to be the woman society required; she was found to be charming, sweet and very handsome, if a little reserved. She was much like Elinor in the fact that when society called for it, she could be the ideal woman. Though, like Marianne, she could not pretend to like a man who was uninteresting to her.

The evening was coming to a close when she spotted a sharp looking man dressed in naval uniform. He was handsome but for some reason was standing alone. Margaret thought he looked interesting and he reminded her of the days when she had dreams of traveling around the world by sea. She wanted to speak with him and she would have, had she not been engaged with her mother and some other feathered peacock. She would bend the rules of decorum and introduced herself, solely because she longed for some of her childhood rambunctious nature.

The feathered peacock left to dance with some other woman and she asked her mother who the man in uniform was. "Oh I believe that's Captain Reston, he has a bit of a reputation so I thought it best not to introduce you." To Margaret this only made him more attractive for she pictured swashbuckling pirates and damsels in distress.

Just as the guests were preparing to leave Margaret had a dance open. She longed to dance with the Captain, but they still had yet to be introduced properly. She saw him standing alone yet again and told her mother; "The Captain seems to be without a partner, just as I am."

"So he his is;" replied her mother, refusing to take the hint. She sighed and sought out Sir Thomas, surely they would know each other. Sir Thomas did in fact know the Captain and brought them together saying, "Captain, let me introduce you to Miss Margaret Dashwood. This is her party we are enjoying." Margaret had high hopes for him and was disappointed when he uttered but one word: "indeed." Oh that's why he has been alone all night, insufferable character.

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**Hope you liked it, please review and tell me if I should add more. I'm not averse to upping the rating :P**


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